Not Even For a Minute (a McRoll in the REAL World story)
by sammy1026
Summary: It's Catherine's office Christmas party! Part 1 of the 4th Annual REAL World Holiday Marathon.


_Insert sincere thanks to my fellow REAL World writers and boundless gratitude to our readers here. I really suck at ANs._

The two senators mentioned in this story were from two of my earlier stories- _Making Friends and Influencing People_ and _Tougher Days_

For those of you looking for the recipe for the yummy pistachio bread from the last story visit our Tumblr. (Sorry won't let me include a link) We'll try to get the link on the website as well.

* * *

 **Not Even for a Minute (1/1)**

"I know you all get enough of me talking on a daily basis and don't want to hear it at the Christmas party, so I'll be brief." Lea chuckled as she addressed the staff gathered in the large conference room. "I just wanted to take a few minutes to thank each of you for helping make my first year as governor a success."

A round of applause filled the room. Angie, currently happily ensconced in the arms of Catherine's assistant Jen, picked up on the enthusiasm of the people around and flailed her arms excitedly. "Baah ahh ahhh!" she squealed.

"We've accomplished a lot this year and you should all be very proud. I think the people of Hawaii, from the wealthiest to the most vulnerable, can all say they're in better shape today than they were a year ago."

Marliyah raised her glass of punch. "Hear hear!"

"We balanced the budget, passed the most extensive infrastructure improvement bill the state has ever seen, expanded aid programs for at risk children and youth, and formed strong partnerships to improve our education system moving forward. It's been an amazing and extremely productive year and I'm very proud of each one of you."

"We were just following your lead," a voice called from the far side of the room bringing about another round of applause.

"Thank you." Lea blushed. "I truly mean it when I say I couldn't do my job, let alone manage to have any success, without the help and dedication of each and every one of you, so thank you."

"You're welcome!" several dozen voices said in unison.

"If you'll indulge me for just a second I would like to single out one person for a few extra thanks." Lea looked around the room until she spotted Catherine. "My chief of staff, my biggest cheerleader, my right-hand woman." She beamed. "The woman who helps me stay focused, gives my confidence a little boost as needed, and never seems to run out of innovative ideas."

Catherine smiled as every eye in the room focused on her.

"I asked you to come on this ride with me a little over a year ago," Lea continued, "and I am so grateful you agreed. I will always think of hiring you as the first, and best, decision I made after I found out I was going to become governor."

Raucous applause filled the room as Lea made her way through the crowd and hugged Catherine tightly.

"Thanks for bringing me along on this adventure," Catherine said as she pulled back and faced her coworkers. "And if you think this year was good, just wait to see what we have in store for 2018."

* * *

"Senator." Catherine smiled as she greeted the distinguished looking older woman who had just entered the room. "I'm so glad you could make it."

"Thanks for inviting me," Pearl Tanaka replied. "After all the hours we spent together on the infrastructure bill I thought you might be glad to have me out of your hair."

Catherine smiled sincerely. "Never."

Her interactions with Senator Tanaka ranged from collegial on a good day to contentious on a bad one but one thing Catherine never doubted was the senator's commitment to her constituents. She knew they would need Pearl Tanaka's dogged determination on several initiatives in the upcoming year and looked forward to working closely with the politically astute senator again.

"I have a plane to catch so I can only stay for a few minutes." The older woman held out a brightly wrapped package. "I got a little something for Angeline."

"You didn't need to do that." Catherine smiled softly.

"I wanted to." The senator tried and failed to hide her own small smile. Despite her gruff exterior and no-nonsense manner, she couldn't hide her genuine affection for Angie. She often arrived a few minutes early for scheduled meetings with Catherine in hopes of getting to spend a few minutes visiting with Angie in her "office". "I couldn't help but notice how happy she looks in the picture on your desk with your dog, so I made a donation to the Humane Society in her name."

"That was a lovely gesture." Catherine took the package and found herself unexpectedly choked up by the older woman's kindness. "Thank you."

Pearl smiled. "You're welcome. I also got her a little something for herself." Pearl indicated the package. "I hope it's alright. I'm not very experienced in buying things for a baby."

Catherine held up the small, flat package. "May I?"

The senator nodded.

Catherine unwrapped the box and couldn't stop the soft 'awwww' that escaped when she removed the lids and saw the contents. It was a light gray onesie that read _'Strong Woman in Training'._

Pearl Tanaka winked at the woman she'd come to respect over the last year. "We need as many of those as we can get."

Catherine nodded in agreement. "She'll wear it proudly."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Jen said as she walked up beside the two women, "but Senator Kelekolio is headed out and he said he needs to see you about the new property tax rebate program for a minute before he goes."

"Tell the old coot to give it a rest," Pearl grinned. "It's Christmas."

"I don't think I'll word it quite that way," Catherine chuckled, "but point taken. Meanwhile," she pointed across the room, "make sure you say hello to Angie before you go."

"I'm on my way to do just that," the senator replied.

* * *

"Looks like things are winding down," Marliyah said as she approached Catherine, who was standing next to the food table holding Angie.

"Looks like it," Catherine agreed. "Are you ready to head out?"

"Just about." Marliyah picked up a sugar cookie decorated like a reindeer and made it dance, much to Angie's delight. "Before I go though I just wanted to say … " she trailed off as she struggled to find the right words.

"What? Is everything okay?" Catherine's voice was tinged with concern.

"Everything is fine," Marliyah assured her. "I just wanted to say … you know I enjoyed working for Governor Denning. I appreciated him giving me the opportunity and I learned a lot from both he and Chas. I don't regret a minute of the time I spent working with them."

Catherine stayed silent and waited for her deputy to continue.

"I mean … I knew things would be different under a new administration. I just never realized _how_ different. I know they didn't do it intentionally, but there were times back then when I felt like the old boy's network took over and no matter what I did, I couldn't get my ideas heard. Or maybe that's being too harsh … I could get them heard but I sometimes felt like they weren't taken as seriously as the ideas of my male colleagues."

Catherine reached out and squeezed her friend's forearm. "That's awful and I'm sorry you had to deal with that."

"Like I said, I'm sure it wasn't intentional. They probably didn't even realize they were doing it. And to tell you the truth at the time I couldn't even define the feeling myself. I knew I was a little dissatisfied, and that sometimes I felt frustrated, but I think I just wrote it off as the perils of working in politics."

"It's a different world," Catherine nodded. "That's for sure."

"When you offered me the chance to stay on with the new administration I almost turned it down." Marliyah leaned down and retrieved the plastic keys Angie had dropped and handed them back. "I was thinking I might be able to make a bigger impact in the private sector. But a little voice inside told me stay put."

Catherine shifted Angie to her hip. "I'm glad you listened to that little voice."

"I am too," Marliyah smiled sincerely. "Because right from day one I felt like a respected member of your team. You listened to my ideas and my concerns and there was never a time when I felt as though I wasn't being heard. And taken seriously. The entire vibe around here has changed. People feel valued and it shows in everything they do. Please don't think I'm running down Governor Denning, or Chas, it's just … this environment works much better for me."

Catherine leaned in and whispered conspiratorially. "It's the girl power."

"You got that right." Marliyah grinned. "And here's to more of it going forward."

* * *

"It's a good thing you came by for the last few minutes of the party today," Catherine chuckled as she looked at the pile of presents under the tree. "We needed your truck to get all of Angie's presents home."

"That is quite an impressive haul," Steve agreed. "We may be testing Danny's theory about how you can't spoil a baby."

"Jen said we should have invented a drinking game," Catherine chuckled. "Every time someone said, _'I know we said no gifts other than Secret Santa, but I couldn't resist getting a little something for Angie'_ we do a shot. Good thing she didn't. We'd all have had alcohol poisoning halfway through the party."

Angie fussed slightly and attempted to stuff her whole fist in her mouth.

"Well you just finished eating so I know you're not hungry." Catherine swayed gently as she pressed her lips against her daughter's forehead to check for a fever. "Is that tooth that's trying to come in bothering you again?" Her phone dinged with an incoming text. "It's from mom," she said as she glanced at the screen.

"Why don't I take her upstairs and get her changed and ready for bed while you answer that?" Steve suggested.

"Sounds good," she smiled. "Grab a few books while you're up there and we'll read down here tonight. She loves to watch the lights on the tree."

"She?" Steve cocked his eyebrow teasingly. "Or both of you?"

"You caught me," Catherine grinned as he started up the stairs.

When he emerged from the nursery with a freshly diapered Angie wearing the red footie pajamas Elizabeth and Joseph bought with ' _Angie's first Christmas_ ' embroidered on the flap in the back he found Catherine standing in front of the photo wall, studying it intently.

"Planning where you're going to put all the Christmas pictures?" he asked as he walked up beside her, gently bouncing Angie who was still fussing slightly.

"No," she said softly then after thinking for a second, "Well yes … but not _just_ that."

"What else is on your mind?" he asked.

"Maybe it was all the talk at the party today about everything that's happened over this last year, but it got me thinking." She turned her head and smiled when their eyes met. "This has been a very big year for us."

"It certainly has," he grinned then leaned in and kissed her softly.

"I just want to make sure I don't take a second of it for granted," she said earnestly. "You know what I mean? I don't want to get so caught up in the enormity of things that I miss the details."

Steve hugged her with his free arm then pulled back and kissed her again. "There is absolutely no danger of that," he smiled. "I have never in my life met anyone who is as present in the moment as you are. It's one of the first things I noticed about you." He stroked her cheek softly. "And one of the first things I loved about you. Whatever you're doing at a given moment you are 100% there. You savor every detail."

"Thank you," she replied softly.

His eyes locked on hers. "It's one of the things that makes every moment with you special, no matter what's happening."

Just as he was about to kiss her again the air was split by Angie's sharp cry. Catherine took the baby and began to walk her around the room, cooing softly in her ear while Steve went to the kitchen to get a teething toy from the freezer.

Twenty minutes later, despite their best efforts and every trick they could think of, Angie was still very unhappy and showing her displeasure at the top of her lungs. They decided some children's Tylenol was called for. After administering the recommended number of drops Catherine resumed her slow pacing around the room.

As she turned and headed back towards the tree she pointed out the lights to Angie who failed to see the magic in them at the moment as she continued to fuss and rub her face.

Catherine caught the look on Steve's face and smiled softly.

"Are you rethinking your statement about every moment being special?"

He reached out his hands, ready for his turn at walking their fussy daughter. "Not even for a minute."

 **THE END**

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